The present invention relates to a work flow system which converts documents such as a Ringi-sho (request for decision) and report into digital form, and circulates them on the network, and relates also to the client of above-mentioned work flow system.
In recent years, proposal has been made for introduction of a work flow system where circulating services of a Ringi-sho (request for decision), report and the like are provided digitally on the network in corporate organizations. When a destination and the order of circulation are present in this kind of a work flow system, automatic circulating of the document in that order is executed; not only that, an effective approval of the Ringi-sho (request for decision) and the like is ensured when each circulation sender sets the approval/non-approval for the document to be circulated.
However, the prior art work flow system has assumed circulating of a document on the closed network of a client server system, and this service has been provided in the form of a server program. Namely, a shared directory is installed within a specific file server, and each client relevant to circulating accesses a file server. In such a form, the control of the circulation sender must always be monitored and recorded by a circulating management server. Further, such a prior art system has required a circulating management arrangement which provides independently management of the right of access to a document per se to be circulated and a shared directory. Moreover, the progress of circulating must be also monitored by the circulating management server. The prior art is accompanied by the following problems under these circumstances:
1) A purpose-built server for circulating management and a file server for setting a shared directory are essential.
2) Each client accesses the aforementioned server to circulate information with reference to the aforementioned file server, and all management work must be made by the server until termination of circulating, with the result that the server load is much increased.3) Access to the server from the external network (different LAN, the Internet, etc.) is normally restricted by the Firewall and the like. This makes it difficult carry out circulation to the client connected to the external network.4) If a document is circulated to the client of the external network, confidentiality may be violated.